At the Intersection of Hermeneutics and Homiletics: Transgressive Readings for Transformational Preaching

A profound book always leaves a lasting impact on its readers—not merely because it is well written, but because its substantive depth touches them deeply. I encouraged my students to engage with a volume I edited: At the Intersection of Hermeneutics and Homiletics: Transgressive Readings for Transformational Preaching. This edited collection brings ten scholarly voices into conversation with the assigned scriptures: the book of Ruth and Matthew 15:21–28. The result is extraordinary. I am deeply moved by their narratives and the implications they draw for these texts, especially as they speak to the unresolved, thorny issues of our day. Ultimately, how we interpret scripture is inextricably linked to how we read our times.

Ten Important Lessons from the Parables of Jesus

Unlock the subversive power of Jesus’s parables. Jesus was a master storyteller whose parables did more than comfort—they challenged the status quo and disrupted the wisdom of the first-century world. In this insightful volume, Dr. Yung Suk Kim explores ten transformative lessons buried within these ancient, radical stories, offering a fresh lens for contemporary faith and action. Ideal for serious Bible study in any setting—whether personal reflection, small groups, or academic classrooms—this book unpacks a decade of profound wisdom:

• Sow Abundantly: Scatter seed on the ground evenly and widely.
• Embrace Grace: Acknowledge God’s absolute sovereignty and unmerited grace.
• Navigate Complexity: Recognize and live with the coexistence of good and evil.
• Nurture the Hidden: See the immense importance of hidden potential.
• Value the Minor: Do not ignore or underestimate smallness.
• Practice Empathy: Learn to think deeply from the other person’s perspective.
• Resist Rivalry: Reject the cultural pressure to compete with others.
• Pursue the Ultimate: Search relentlessly for what is most valuable.
• Trust the Outcome: Boldly use your talent and leave the rest to God.
• Cultivate Stillness: Empty your ego and do not overfill your mind.

Rediscover the parables not as passive moral fables, but as urgent calls to a deeper, more faithful way of living.